Hiiraan Online
Wednesday May 2, 2018
Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Francisco Madeira
Mogadishu (HOL) - The African Union has hailed the peaceful election of new Lower House speaker, Mohamed Mursal Sheikh, a former Somali Defense Minister.
In a statement, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Francisco Madeira congratulated Mohamed Mursal on his election as speaker of the House of the People of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
"The Peaceful election for the House of the People Speaker's post and the successful transfer of power from the former to the current speaker is confirmation, yet again that democracy in Somalia has come of age," Madeira said the in the statement.
The AU envoy pledged AMISOM's support in helping the Federal Parliament perform its constitutional duties to ensure peace and stability is restored in Somalia.
"AMISOM will continue working closely with members of the Federal Parliament in their effort to bring back lasting peace and security," he assured.
In a seperate statement that echoed that AU's sentiment, Michael Keating, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, called on Somali leaders to respect the constitution in conduct of all parliamentary and government business.
"The people of Somalia will benefit if political actors take steps to strengthen the capacity and bolster the integrity of key State institutions," Keating said.
"The supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law should be respected in the conduct of all parliamentary and government business," he added.
Sheikh who also served as Somalia's ambassador to Turkey was on Monday elected new speaker in a hotly contested race to fill the office left by the immediate speaker.
Mursal garnered 147 votes in the third round of the election, emerging ahead of Ibrahim Isack Yarrow who secured 118 votes.